Model, muse, movie star, Bond girl, a thespian treading the boards, an eternal style icon – Monica Bellucci has been and done it all. The Italian legend, born in Umbria, grew up obsessed with fashion and began sitting for photographers as a teenager, travelling to Milan and Paris for jobs while still at school. Her acting debut, in the miniseries Vita coi figli, came more than a decade later, followed by a memorable role as one of the bloodthirsty brides of the titular vampire in Francis Ford Coppola’s , opposite Winona Ryder, Gary Oldman and Keanu Reeves. A César nomination soon followed for her part in Gilles Mimouni’s , and ever since then, the multi-hyphenate has kept the industry on its toes – despite her innate glamour, she’s managed to disappear into a range of varied parts and is fluent in five languages. Those who viewed her as just another vampish pin-up were quickly proved wrong.

As she celebrates her 62nd birthday, we look back at the earliest years of her career, as she transitioned from the fashion world to Hollywood and beyond, via the most glorious throwback photos.